WICHITA, KS — Eighteen Wichita postal carriers were attacked by dogs last year ranking the city 27th nationally along with Baton Rouge, LA, and Flushing, NY. Many of the attacks resulted in medical attention beyond first-aid, and several cases resulted in letter carriers being unable to return to their normal duties for a period of time. The number of dog attacks to Wichita postal carriers is down seven compared to 2014 when Wichita ranked 15th nationally.

“We appreciate those responsible dog owners in the community who restrain their dogs and allow their carriers to deliver the mail safely, unfortunately we still had 18 carriers attacked by dogs last year and that’s 18 too many, and doesn’t include the many close calls with dogs our carriers face on a daily basis,” said Wichita Postmaster Ryon Knopik. “Summer is almost here and with temperatures rising and children out of school, our carriers tend to see more dogs running loose. We strongly encourage dog owners to restrain their dogs and allow the carriers to deliver the mail safely. We take the safety of our employees very seriously. We will not wait until a carrier is bitten before taking preventative action.”

Since October 2015, there have been 10 dog attacks to Wichita carriers, including a carrier who was delivering the mail to a customer at the door when a dog ran out of the house biting the carrier on the arm requiring several stitches.

“There’s a myth we often hear at the Postal Service: Don’t worry, my dog won’t bite,” said Knopik. “Any dog can bite and all attacks are preventable through responsible pet ownership.”

The Postal Service is adding two new safety measures to alert carriers of dogs on their delivery routes. When using usps.com’s Package Pickup application, customers will be asked to indicate if there is a dog at their address when they schedule a package pickup. The second goes into effect later this spring.

“The Mobile Delivery Devices that letter carriers use to scan packages to confirm delivery will include a feature that allows carriers to indicate the presence of a dog at an individual address,” said Knopik. “This is especially helpful to substitutes who fill-in for letter carriers on their days off.”

Nationwide, 6,549 postal employees were attacked in 2015. Houston, TX topped the list with 77 dog attacks to postal carriers.

Knopik encourages the news media to share the following tips when reporting on this critical issue.     

• If a letter carrier delivers a certified letter or a package to your front door, place your dog into a separate room and close the door before opening the front door. Dogs have been known to burst through screen doors or plate-glass windows to get at strangers.
• Dog owners should remind their children about the need to keep the family dog secured. Parents should remind their children not to take mail directly from letter carriers in the presence of the family pet as the dog may see handing mail to a child as a threatening gesture.
• The City of Wichita’s leash law prohibits pet owners from allowing dogs to run loose.
• If your dog attacks a letter carrier, you could be held liable for all medical expenses and other costs, which can run into thousands of dollars.
• The USPS places the safety of its employees as a top priority. If a carrier feels threatened by a vicious dog or if a dog is running loose, the owner may be asked to pick up the mail at the Post Office until the carrier is assured the pet has been restrained. If the dog is roaming the neighborhood, the dog owner’s neighbors may be asked to pick up their mail at the Post Office as well.

2015 Dog Attack Rankings by City
Note: A total of 6,549 postal employees were attacked by dogs in calendar 2015. Fifty-one cities comprise the top 30 rankings as some cities reported the same number of attacks.

# # #

Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources, visit the USPS Newsroom at about.usps.com/news/welcome.htm.

For reporters interested in speaking with a regional Postal Service public relations professional, please go to about.usps.com/news/media-contacts/usps-local-media-contacts.pdf.

Follow us on twitter.com/USPS and like us at facebook.com/USPS. For more information about the Postal Service, go to usps.com and usps.com/postalfacts.